Sacramento, CA – RedRover, a national nonprofit animal welfare organization, is on the ground July 11-20 to help provide daily care and comfort for more than 65 dogs and 30 cats from a large-scale alleged cruelty situation in Jones County, Mississippi.

RedRover has deployed 20 volunteers from across the U.S. to provide emergency care for the animals at the request of the Humane Society of the United States. HSUS assisted the Jones County Sheriff’s Office in the rescue and removal of the animals, along with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and Southern Cross Animal Rescue.

According to HSUS, the Jones County Sheriff’s Department served a search and seizure warrant on a 161-acre property on July 11 and found nearly 100 animals the property. The animals appear to suffer from a lack of veterinary care and were housed in conditions typically seen in severe neglect situations.

All of the animals will be removed from the property and safely cared for at the emergency sheltering operation, where they will be examined by a team of veterinarians and receive any necessary immediate medical treatment. RedRover Responders will be assisting with the daily care of the animals, including feeding and socialization. “It’s heartbreaking to know the conditions that these animals suffered through,” said Beth Gammie, Emergency Services Manager for RedRover. “We’re thankful for the opportunity to help give these animals a second chance at happy lives.”

“All animals should have access to adequate veterinary care and none should be forced to live in conditions like we have seen today,” said Sára Varsa, vice president of the Humane Society of the United States Animal Rescue Team. “We are thankful to the Southern Cross Animal Rescue and other organizations that have answered the call to help these animals.”

Distinguished by their red shirts, RedRover Responders volunteers are specially trained to care for and temporarily shelter large numbers of animals after they have been rescued from cruelty and neglect cases or natural disasters. The volunteers provide the workforce which enables communities to address their animal needs swiftly and efficiently.

With more than 4,000 trained volunteers in the United States and Canada, RedRover can deploy its volunteers quickly when communities become overburdened by a crisis involving large numbers of animals. In its 30-year history, RedRover has responded to 188 natural disasters and other crises around the country including Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Katrina, the Natchez, Mississippi flood and many more.

Since 1987, RedRover has focused on bringing animals out of crisis and strengthening the human-animal bond through emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and humane education. For the fourth consecutive year, RedRover’s sound fiscal management practices and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. To learn more about how RedRover is creating a more compassionate world, please visit RedRover.org.